Lament of A Cosmic Princess
by MysteriousMcMann
Summary: She, guardian of the Lumas, princess of the cosmos, is in love with a heroic plumber. As she gets further acquainted with him on his quest, her feelings only grow stronger. But it is a love that is never to be...


The Lady of the Shooting Stars. The Cosmic Princess. Guardian of the Comet Observatory. Rosalina was a woman of many names, and many duties. Each one was important, and all of them held a special place in her heart. But there was another name by which she was known. One she was usually called by tender, small beings, in a tone filled with a mixture of respect and love. "Mama." It was by far her favorite.

Here on the Observatory, she kept a diligent watch over the cosmos. Every day brought with it new wonders, new sights, and new adventures. None of them were spent alone; the Lumas, her celestial children, so to speak, bustled around her constantly, eager for her attention and affection. But those days seemed so far away now.

Rosalina stood on, or rather, floated above, the grassy knoll. Scanning the vast reaches of space, she sighed. The great starship felt so lonely and empty without her children near. They had gallantly sacrificed themselves to save the galaxy, sealing up the black hole that threatened to consume all that was. The only one that remained was Polari. Although, she never really thought of him as a "child". He was the eldest of those that had dwelt on the Observatory, and the closest that Rosalina had to an equal. Now, he was floating by her side, concern in his large blue eyes.

"What troubles you so?" he asked. "The galaxy has been saved. And every single Luma will be reborn, and will return to us as though nothing had happened."

Rosalina gave him a small smile. "I know. It's just so quiet since they went away. And it's a big adjustment to no longer be hosting guests."

"Indeed." Polari replied. "But it's nice for things to be returning to normal. Once the children come back, all will be at ease." There was a tiredness in his voice. He hadn't left her side for a moment since Bowser's plot had been foiled. As far as she knew, he hadn't even taken time to eat.

"Polari," she said, "how about getting some rest? You look exhausted."

The brown Luma yawned. "I suppose I am. But will you be all right?"

"Of course, Polari. Eat some Star Bits before going to sleep, if you like. There's a big bowl of them in the kitchen, all for you."

At this, her adviser perked up. "Oh! Don't mind if I do." He drifted away. "And, if I don't see you before I go to sleep…good night, Rosalina."

"Good night, Polari." Rosalina said. She smiled fondly as she watched him float to the kitchen. Polari adored Star Bits, and so did she. Perhaps the honey-flavored food was why she had sustained such a long life here in space. Or perhaps her time among the stars had made her into a goddess after all.

She was glad Polari had left her alone, if only for a few hours. In these recent days, she'd felt terribly sad. For down on the Mushroom Planet, she knew, the great hero Mario was spending happy days with his special one. Princess Peach was lucky to have the affection of such a selfless soul.

Rosalina had admired his courage and persistence as they'd pursued Bowser through space. Never had he lost sight of his goal of rescuing the one dear to his heart. Never had he faltered, nor had he shrank from traversing even the most dangerous planet. He was strong, and brave to the core. Nothing could stand in his way.

And yet, with all his inner power, he still possessed a great innocence. She remembered the conversations she'd shared with him, about space and its many wonders. His face had lit up with awe as she told him of the things that she had seen in her years among the stars. That reverent glow was still there as he told her of his adventures back home. He had a great respect for all that he'd seen in nature, and for the people who'd helped him along on his many journeys. Fighting evil was not something he did for fame and glory. He did it to protect the world and those in it from pain, darkness, and misery. She could still remember the determination in his tone as he told her that.

His great kindness, too, had stood out. He was so tender with his shier brother during their time on the ship. Though they'd had their siblings' squabbles, Mario and Luigi had always reconciled, and their loving bond had grown ever stronger for it. Mario's manner with the Lumas had been stellar as well. He'd been so gentle with them, taking time for every single one that wanted to talk to him. No wonder one of the Lumas had taken such a shine to him that he'd spent most of the grand adventure under the hero's cap.

There'd been one moment, though, that had touched her heart in a way she couldn't truly describe. Once, when she'd been about to enter the library, she'd heard Mario speaking within. Silently opening the door a crack, she saw something that nearly made her gasp. Mario was sitting in her usual chair, with the Lumas gathered around him. His usual Luma companion peeked out from under his hat, and a book lay open in his lap. He read aloud to the Lumas with all the love of a parent, giving a unique voice to each of the characters in the story and showing each illustration to the adoring crowd of star children. The Lumas were enthralled. And so was Rosalina.

She smiled at the memory. How wonderful that sight had been. But at the same time, how painful. Seeing Mario like that, behaving in such a fatherly manner toward the Lumas, had awakened a strange feeling deep within her. It was lonely out in space, with no special one to spend time with. And although she tried her best to be a good parent to the Lumas in her care, sometimes she wished that there was another by her side. One who would nurture, love, and cherish her children just as much as she did.

She'd wanted to spend more time with Mario. The mere month or so he'd spent on the starship hadn't been enough. He'd been so respectful to her, yet so warm and friendly. Unbothered by her usual monotone voice and behavior, he didn't fear her, or regard her as cold and untouchable. He'd treated her like a friend from the first moment they met. He truly was as lovable as his friends described him. But as she'd gotten to know him, she'd begun to feel as though she'd found the perfect companion. The Lumas loved him, and, as unfathomable as it seemed, she loved him too.

These affectionate feelings had been hard to deal with. They were illogical, irrational, yet she'd felt them all the same. How she'd longed for Mario to feel the same way, too. If only, after rescuing Peach, he'd found that he no longer loved her. If only he had decided to stay with Rosalina on the Observatory, and accompany her throughout the cosmos. The centuries would be far less lonely, less tiresome with someone to spend them with.

Having him here had been a tumult of bliss and agony. None of it was helped by the questions of the curious Lumas.

"What's Mario going to do after he rescues the princess, mama?"

"Why do you look so sad, mama?"

"…Do you love him, mama?"

The pain began afresh every time. But by far the most hurtful words came from the Luma who dwelt under Mario's cap.

"I really like Mario, mama," he'd announced, during a rare moment when he'd come out to visit her, "I want him to stay here with us. If you and him got together, that'd make him our papa, wouldn't it, mama?"

"Yes, dear." That had been the only thing that Rosalina could bring herself to say.

It wasn't just what Mario could potentially do for her that had sparked the love she felt. When she looked into his eyes, it felt like she was gazing into a kindred soul. The both of them had numerous adventures throughout their lives, and had faced many a hardship. They'd had to hide away their misgivings and pain for the sake of others, and strove to protect the ones they loved. They had much in common, so much so, that Rosalina trusted him. Trusted him enough to invite him to the Gateway Galaxy to share her troubles with him. Looking back on it now, she realized that she'd requested for him to visit with her for another, more personal reason. She'd wanted to reveal her feelings to him.

But, as she had waited for him to come to her, she realized something. The happiness on his face when he spoke of the Princess, the fondness in his voice when he talked about the wonderful times they had together…she didn't want to take that away from him. She knew, deep down, that he could never be her special one. Nor could she ever take the place of his. And so, she decided to never speak of the true affections her heart held for him. To be viewed as a friend by Mario was by itself a wonderful honor, and it was a title that she would cherish for eternity.

When he'd at last reunited with Peach, she'd smiled. Things had been set to rights. And she'd helped make it happen. Even though sorrow would linger in her heart for a long time to come, Rosalina was glad that Mario was back with his special one. The two were happy together, and that would be enough for her.

Back in the present, she at last broke her gaze from the heavens. She was feeling rather tired, and wanted nothing more than to get some rest. But first, she had something important to do. She wanted to have a great stack of books to read to the Lumas once they came back. Smiling, she entered the library. Perhaps they would enjoy some adventure stories. After all, one could never have enough excitement. Especially if one was friends with a red-clad plumber.


End file.
